”. . . something in October sets the gypsy blood astir. . . . When from every hill aflame, She calls and calls each vagabond by name.”
-Bliss Carmen
DATELINE: ROCKVILLE, IND.
In southern Indiana, when red leaves of dogwood and sassafras begin to brighten the rolling hills, autumn`s gypsies take to the road. Highways and backroads are crowded with day trippers and weekend vacationers in search of scenic panoramas and fall festivals.
It seems that nearly every community has a festival in September and October. You are certain to find one or more of them by serendipity on any weekend when wandering southern Indiana.
What follows is a sampling of some of the festivals, which should make for great autumn journeys. If Mother Nature cooperates en route, you might see ”the scarlet of the maples” and ”the frosty asters like smoke upon the hills” in some of Indiana`s most scenic areas.
Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, Rockville, Ind.; 317-569-5228. Oct. 14-23. Write P.O. Box 165, Rockville, Ind. 47872. Rockville is on U.S. Hwy. 41, about 30 miles north of Terre Haute.
The 32d annual Covered Bridge Festival is the largest of all Indiana community fall festivals, and the fifth largest festival in the United States. As many as 500,000 visitors tour Parke County during the festival`s 10-day period. They view the county`s 35 covered bridges which were built between 1856 and 1920. Besides Rockville there are six surrounding villages, all of which have their own special activities during the festival.
The Courthouse Square in Rockville is the hub of Covered Bridge Festival activities. Crowds can watch crafts demonstrations and apple butter making and shop for jellies, pumpkins, bittersweet, baked goods and locally made arts and crafts at the tent-covered Farmers` Market.
Old-time Hoosier foods are a popular festival attraction. Weathered-gray food shacks are located around the edges of the courthouse lawn. Hungry tourists with appetites whetted by enticing aromas and a frosty nip in the air and willing to stand in line can feast on delicious festival foods served by townspeople in turn-of-the-century dress.
Bean soup and apple butter simmer in huge cauldrons over wood fires. Barbecued chicken roasts on outdoor grills. Folks line up for whole hog sandwiches, biscuits with ham and gravy, crullers, fried apple pies, pork chops, baked potatoes, cornbread, sassafras tea and persimmon ice cream.
There are yellow school buses to take you on tours of the covered bridges, with a choice of five routes. Visitors who prefer to drive their own cars will find routes clearly marked. Maps are available.
Persimmon Festival, Mitchell, Ind.; 812-849-4441. Sept. 17-24. Or write Mitchell Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 216, Mitchell, Ind. 47446. Mitchell is located just off Ind. St. Rt. 60, about 24 miles south of Bloomington and 22 miles north of French Lick.
The native American persimmon has starred in 42 annual Persimmon Festivals. Main Street is the site of the festival, which features a carnival, parade, Persimmon Run footrace, Persimmon Bicycle Tour, Persimmon Road Rally and varied evening programs, including country music and square dancing. A Persimmon Queen is chosen, and a Persimmon Ball is held at Spring Mill Inn.
There is a candlelight tour of the log cabin village at nearby Springmill State Park.
For persimmon gourmands, the festival highlight is sampling persimmon desserts sold at food stands along Main Street. In addition to persimmon ice cream, persimmon pudding with whipped cream and persimmon cookies, hotdogs, hamburgers, cotton candy and elephant ears are available.
There`s also a Persimmon Pudding and Dessert contest, which presents hundreds of delectable desserts.
Columbus Ethnic Expo, Columbus, Ind.; 812-376-2500. Oct. 7-9. Write Barbara Stewart, 123 Washington St., Columbus, Ind. 47201. Columbus is located in southeast Indiana, 44 miles south of Indianapolis, just off Int. Hwy. 65, and 42 miles east of Bloomington, via Ind. Hwy. 46.
Columbus` varied cultural background provides the theme for its fall festival. Colorfully costumed dancers perform Hungarian and Middle European folk dances accompanied by their native musical instruments. Children`s entertainment includes international games, craft demonstrations, music, dances and folk tales from around the world. Exhibits include national artifacts and costumes explained by Colombus townspeople of diverse heritage. A German-style ”Volksmarch” on Sunday offers tourists an organized walking tour around Donner Park with its surrounding autumn-clad woods
At the food booths, there are Latvian ham rolls, Polish sausage, Japanese teriyaki, European desserts and other foods representative of 29 ethnic groups living in the Columbus area. Adding to the celebration is a parade, with clowns, bands, floats, horses and antique autos.
The Expo is held in downtown Columbus, an architectural mecca of the Midwest that is situated in the middle of corn country. While this pretty city of 32,000 population has restored attractive Victorian buildings, its distinction comes from having many public buildings, churches and schools designed by world renowned architects. Eliel and Eero Saarinen, I. M. Pei, John Carl Warnecke, John M. Johansen and other acclaimed architects were commissioned to design Columbus buildings to fulfill the vision of J. Irwin Miller and the Cummins Engine Foundation.
Near Columbus is the village of Nashville, where visitors can enjoy a
”fall festival” of their own making. There are numerous shops and art galleries to browse through and fried biscuits with apple butter at the Nashville House. Nashville is a popular destination for autumn leaf-lookers who are out for a day`s drive.
Chautauqua of the Arts, Madison, Ind.; 812-285-5080. Sept. 24-25. Write 1119 W. Main St., Madison, Ind. 47250. Madison is 44 miles southeast of Columbus via Ind. Hwy. 7.
Madison is one of Indiana`s oldest, most charming towns and an architectural gem. Visitors will find a town filled with old mansions, many of them overlooking the Ohio River. The entire downtown is a historical showcase of century-old houses. Several homes are open for tour.
Chautauqua activities include an art festival and juried show, ethnic food, folk music-including a performance by the Mountain Dulcimer Society.
Steamboat Days Festival, Jeffersonville, Ind.; 812-284-BOAT. Sept. 8-11. Write P.O. Box STEAMBOAT, Jeffersonville, Ind. 47130. Jeffersonville is just off Int. Hwy. 65 coming south from Indianapolis and Columbus, and across the river from Louisville, Ky.
The festival features a parade, balloon race, an arts and crafts show, entertainment and a houseboat regatta.
Thomas Jefferson planned this old Ohio River town, and it was named for him. Located in the town is the Howard National Steamboat Museum.
Newburgh Fiddler Fest, Newburgh, Ind. 47630; 812-853-2815. Sept. 24-25. Write Historic Newburgh, Newburgh. Ind. 47630. Newburgh is 7 miles from Evansville on Ind. St. Rt. 662.
Here`s a festival where visitors can eat catfish, called ”fiddlers,”
while listening to the music of fiddlers from several states.
The fiddler dinners are served on outdoor tables overlooking the Ohio River. The weekend also features a street fair with carnival rides and arts and crafts.
Newburgh, settled in 1803, was the first town north of the Mason-Dixon line to be captured by the South during the Civil War. This scenic river town has a river-barge restaurant called Crawdaddys, which serves ”fiddler”
dinners regularly. The town also is filled with antique shops.
Newburgh is about two miles from Indiana State Museum`s Angel Mounds Historic Site, one of the best examples of Mississippian Indian culture, circa 900-1600 A.D.
Near Newburgh is Owensboro, Ky., where a bluegrass music festival is taking place the same weekend as Newburgh`s Fiddler Fest. Here`s the information:
IBMA Bluegrass Pan Fest 1988, Owensboro, Ky.; 502-684-9025. Sept. 23-25. Write 326 St. Elizabeth St., Owensboro, Ky. 42301. Owensboro is just across the Ohio River from Indiana.
During the three-day event, Bluegrass fans will hear Bill Monroe, ”the Father of Blue Grass,” and the Blue Grass Boys; Emmylou Harris & the Angel Band; Dale Evans & River Bend; the Boys from Indiana; Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys; and dozens of other Bluegrass music singers and players.
The Bluegrass Fest is held in an outdoor amphitheater in English Park located off Woodford Avenue, two blocks north of Second Avenue.
